Abstract
The hydromedusa Gonionemus vertens A. Agassiz, 1862 was first detected in the Berre Lagoon, south of France, in July 2016. Early June 2017, following an early rise in temperature, much higher numbers of specimens were reported leading to several beach goers being stung and one going into anaphylactic shock. Effort to rehabilitate this highly anthropogenically altered lagoon has led to the redevelopment of the Zostera meadows, which might be favoring the clinging jellyfish. Developmental aberrations of specimens were noted, which could be linked to the remaining presence of chemicals from the industrial development period. Impact of this predator species on the functioning of the lagoon ecosystem should also be studied.
Highlights
Non-indigenous species introductions in sink ecosystems constitute a major source of biological pollution (Boudouresque and Verlaque 2002; Elliott 2003)
We report on the first observations of the highly potent hydromedusae Gonionemus vertens A
G. vertens medusae were first observed between July 5–12, 2016, in shallow Zostera meadows (1.5 m depth) in the Eastern sector of the Berre Lagoon (Figure 2), during a survey directed at Mnemiopsis leidyi
Summary
Non-indigenous species introductions in sink ecosystems constitute a major source of biological pollution (Boudouresque and Verlaque 2002; Elliott 2003). Gelatinous zooplankton are important players in locations such as the Berre Lagoon, France. First report of Gonionemus vertens in the Berre Lagoon known species in the order Limnomedusae (Schuchert 2016).
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